April 2018 - Southeastern Peanut Farmer

Inside: n

Adjusting Planter Equipment n Disease & Insect Guidebook

A communication service of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation.

Contents April 2018

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Joy Carter Crosby Editor joycrosby@gapeanuts.com 229-386-3690

Adjusting planting equipment from one field to the next can make a difference between a healthy crop stand and a poor stand. Learn about the latest research from Wes Porter, precision ag specialist with the University of Georgia Extension Service.

Director of Advertising Jessie Bland jessie@gapeanuts.com Contributing Writers John Leidner johnleidner@bellsouth.net Kaye Lynn Hataway klhataway@alpeanuts.com Southeastern Peanut Farmer P.O. Box 706, Tifton, Ga. 31793 445 Fulwood Blvd., Tifton, Ga. 31794 ISSN: 0038-3694 Southeastern Peanut Farmer is published six times a year (Jan./Feb., March, April, May/June, July/Aug., and Oct./Nov.) by the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation.

The publisher is not responsible for copy omission, typographical errors, or any unintentional errors that may occur, other than to correct it in the following issue. Any erroneous reflection which may occur in the columns of Southeastern Peanut Farmer will be corrected upon brought to the attention of the editor. (Phone 229-3863690 or joycrosby@gapeanuts.com.)

Postmaster: Send address changes (Form 3579) to Southeastern Peanut Farmer, P.O. Box 706, Tifton, Georgia, 31793.

Circulation is free to qualified peanut growers and others allied to the industry. Periodical postage paid at Tifton, Georgia and additional mailing office.

Editorial Content: Editorial copy from sources outside of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation is sometimes presented for the information and interest of our members. Such material may, or may not, coincide with official Southern Peanut Farmers Federation policies.

Publication of material does not necessarily imply its endorsement by the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation.

For editorial concerns call 229-386-3690. No portion of this or past issues of the Southeastern Peanut Farmer may be reproduced in any form whatsoever without the written consent of the editor. By-lined articles appearing in this publication represent views of the authors and not necessarily those of the publisher.

Advertising: The Publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertisement. Corrections to advertisements must be made after the first run. All billing offers subject to credit review. Advertisements contained in this publication do not represent an endorsement by the Southeastern Peanut Farmer or the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation. Use of trade names in this publication is for the purpose of providing specific information and is not a guarantee nor warranty of products named. For advertising concerns call 229-386-3472.

Adjusting planter equipment

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Disease and Insect Guidebook The 2018 Southeastern Peanut Farmer’s Disease and Insect Guidebook features information on early season disease control, aspergillus crown rot, leaf spot, a mystery disease in Florida, chlorothalonil shortage and insect scouting.

25 Peanut Leadership Academy hosts session in Washington, D.C. Members of Class X of the Peanut Leadership Academy gained more knowledge of the legislative process during their recent session in Washington, D.C. Attendees also learned more about the peanut export market and policy development.

Departments: Checkoff Report .................................................................................. 8 Alabama Peanut Producers Association, Florida Peanut Producers Association, Georgia Peanut Commission and Mississippi Peanut Growers Association

Washington Outlook ............................................................................ 24 Southern Peanut Growers Update ........................................................ 26 Cover Photo: Andrew Grimes plants peanuts at his farm in Tift County. Photo by Joy Crosby.

April 2018 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Editorial

Calendar of Events

PB&J: The Fuel the Team Needs am not much of a basketball fan. I prefer the fall and football season.

However, the recent March Madness of basketball did catch my eye when I heard about the winning championship team being built with PB&Js in the locker room. Of course, that should come as no surprise to those of us involved in the peanut industry. We have all known the benefits of eating peanuts and peanut butter for a while.

However, Villanova is not the first team to gain their fuel from the protein offered by a PB&J. Another well-known basketball team and 2015 national championship NCAA winner, Duke, also touts the benefits of eating PB&Js. Following Villanova’s 2018 win of the NCAA championship a video was posted on Sports Illustrated Twitter page showing how they celebrated their win with a PB&J. That makes perfect sense to me! Eat the PB&Js while training all year and then celebrate with the food that provided you the fuel to win and win big two times in the past three years.

The same fuel that helps these winning collegiate teams Villanova’s recruiting classes is also the secret addiction to are like the peanut butter and the NBA. In fact, the legend jelly sandwiches the team eats has been passed down by in the locker room. They’re not NBA generations and goes something like this. An steak or highly engineered protein shakes, but they have unnamed Celtic player complained of hunger pangs all the fuel the team needs. and said he could go for a PB&J. The player, Kevin Garnett, enjoyed a PB&J as part of his pregame routine. During the game, Garnett played very well so afterwards he issued the following commandment: “We’re going to need PB&J in here every game now.”

From that point on the Boston Celtics enjoyed PB&Js about three hours before every tip-off. Of course, the protein and other nutritional benefits of a PB&J outweighs greasy junk food from arena concessions. This added fuel may have also had something to do with the 2007-2008 NBA title championship for the Celtics too.

So, maybe you have little ones at home that play basketball or other sports and need fuel found in peanuts to help them through the game. As a farmer, you work hard every day to plant, nurture and harvest your peanut crop that will continue to provide nourishment for others. I am continually amazed at the progress our industry is making in identifying and researching on-going nutritional studies through the Peanut Institute. This data is providing us with vital information we need to let others know the benefits of eating peanuts and peanut butter.

Planting season provides you with another opportunity to plant the next crop of peanuts that can and will make a difference in the world. You may not witness it first-hand but the impact you are making by growing a nutritional product cannot be overstated or taken carelessly. You are providing the fuel and power needed for individuals across the world and athletes who enjoy PB&Js before the big game that help them become champions. t

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Joy Carter Crosby Editor

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Southeastern Peanut Farmer April 2018

u USA Peanut Congress, June 23-27, 2018, Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, Fla. For more information visit peanut-shellers.org or call 229-888-2508. u American Peanut Research Education Society Annual Meeting, July 10-12, 2018, Doubletree Hotel, Williamsburg, Va. For more information visit apresinc.com or call 229-329-2949. u Southern Peanut Growers Conference, July 19-21, 2018, Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort, Miramar Beach, Fla. For more information visit southernpeanutfarmers.org or call 229-386-3470. u Sunbelt Ag Expo Field Day, July 24, 2018, Moultrie, Ga. For more information visit sunbeltexpo.com or call 229-985-1968. u American Peanut Shellers Association and National Peanut Buying Points Association Pre-Harvest Meeting, Aug. 7-8, 2018, Lake Blackshear Resort and Golf Club, Cordele, Ga. For more information visit peanut-shellers.org or call 229-888-2508. u Brooklet Peanut Festival, Sept. 15, 2018. For more information visit the festival’s website at brookletpeanutfestival.com. u Georgia Peanut Tour, Sept. 18-20, 2018.

For more information visit the tour’s website at georgiapeanuttour.com. u Plains Peanut Festival, Sept. 22, 2018.

For more information visit plainsgeorgia.com. u Central Florida Peanut Festival, Oct. 6, 2018, Williston, Fla. For more information visit willistonfl.com. u Sunbelt Ag Expo, Oct. 16-18, 2018, Moultrie, Ga. For more information visit sunbeltexpo.com or call 229-985-1968. u Georgia Peanut Festival, Oct. 20, 2018, Sylvester, Ga. For more information visit gapeanutfestival.org. u National Peanut Festival, Nov. 2-11, 2018, Dothan, Ala. For more information visit nationalpeanutfestival.com.

(Let us know about your event. Please send details to the editor at joycrosby@gapeanuts.com.

Adjusting planter equipment can make a significant difference in your crop djusting planting equipment from one field to the next can make the difference between a healthy crop stand and a poor stand, according to University of Georgia Cooperative Extension precision agriculture and irrigation specialist Wes Porter.

Porter believes Southeastern growers who take the time to make necessary changes to their planter from field to field will benefit this planting season. Planter depth; planter downforce, the pressure applied to the row unit by a mechanism in front of the row unit; soil texture; and soil moisture are all components that factor in the planting operation and successful stand establishment.

Porter’s goal for some of his research on the UGA Tifton campus is to show which of these factors has the highest influence on stand establishment.

“The planter is the most important piece of equipment we have on the farm when we’re trying to establish the crop.

We need it to perform at its best,” Porter says.

Most producers set a depth and downforce for a crop and plant at those settings for the rest of the season, and farmers may not look at the other components on the planter. Porter says that farmers should adjust the planter to cater to different soil types, especially if fields have different soil moisture levels.

“Right now, I think there’s little to no adjustment that happens from field to field and environment to environment among most planters. With our research, we’re trying to show that it pays to spend a little time tweaking your planter setup when you move from field to field,” Porter says. “We’ve seen that the difference in one-half-inch depth change in cotton is the difference between having a really good stand and having little to no crop emerge.”

Porter is studying the effect of the relationship between downforce and stand establishment in different soil types. This information will help to develop a

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prescription map for downforce.

“Consider the relationship between soil type and downforce: If the soil is very dry and hard, it’s harder to create a furrow in the soil. You have to apply more downforce to the planter row units to keep it in the ground at the appropriate depth. If you’re in a wet, softer soil, the planter does not need as much downforce to maintain the appropriate depth,” he says.

If farmers make adjustments beforehand, they won’t spend extra time and money replanting the crop.

“That’s why we are researching planter settings. If we can maximize our emergence the first time by having our planter set up to match the current field conditions, we shouldn’t have to replant as often,” Porter says.

Through the research Porter has observed significant impacts on both cotton and peanut emergence and yield based on planter downforce and depth settings. He has observed significant differences on the farm in peanut emergence based on planter downforce settings and soil texture as measured by soil electro-conductivity. t

BY CLINT THOMPSON UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

April 2018 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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National Peanut Board launches PeanutVision.org to leverage key issues SA-grown peanuts are perfectly positioned as the food of now and the food of the future. To help the peanut industry tell this story, the National Peanut Board has launched a new online resource: The Peanut Vision at peanutvision.org. This platform gives a 360-degree view of peanuts’ benefits in five key areas: Wellness, Environment, Food Safety, and Community.

“These areas of focus align with expectations we’re hearing from retailers, millennial consumers, health and nutrition communities, and international groups,” said NPB President & CEO Bob Parker.

“Retailers want proof of a

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commitment to sustainability. Millennials, the generation with the most potential for economic impact, want more information about where their food comes from. The foodservice and health sectors are aligning with goals that include moving legumes and nuts to the center of the plate, rewarding better agricultural practices and celebrating cultural diversity. Further, the United Nations launched its Sustainable Development goals, which include ending hunger, achieving food security and improved nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture.”

The site is designed to be modern and visually appealing to audiences for whom

these issues are key, including retail and foodservice buyers decision makers; local, state and government leaders; and consumers who care about the backstory of food.

There are few foods better positioned to match the demands of the world today and the world tomorrow than wholesome, USA-grown peanuts. With the Peanut Vision, the industry can best showcase peanuts’ benefits and support NPB’s mission of improving the economic condition of peanut farmers and their families. t

BY LAUREN HIGHFILL WILLIAMS NATIONAL PEANUT BOARD

Highlights from each section of PeanutVision.org: Environment

Wellness

• Peanuts farmers are making continuous improvements in water conversation, chemical reduction and farmland development.

• Peanuts are a protein-packed, nutritious, plant-based food with a positive impact on health.

• Peanuts are an affordable, plant-based protein.

• Peanuts are hardy, nitrogen-fixing plants, meaning they need less fertilizer and pesticides.

• Project Peanut Butter is working overseas to combat malnutrition.

Food Safety • The U.S. peanut industry voluntarily implements extensive safety protocols to ensure a safe food supply and invests in research to eliminate food allergies.

• U.S. peanuts are inspected multiple times—by growers, USDA, and manufacturers—before they reach consumers.

• The groundbreaking LEAP Study discovered that introducing peanut products to infants early can reduce peanut allergies by more than 80 percent.

Innovation • The peanuts of tomorrow are more popular, hardier, more drought-resistant and useful in unexpected ways.

• Peanuts are a key ingredient in world cuisines, a health-conscious alternative to decadent dessert products and essential to the growing consumer movement to help the planet by eating less meat and more plants.

• No part of the peanut goes unused: Peanut hay made from the vines is used as food for cattle and ground cover or put back in the land to enrich the soil.

Check it out at PeanutVision.org 6

Southeastern Peanut Farmer April 2018

• Through NPB, America’s peanut farmers have invested more than $2.6 million in research to improve the crop’s water efficiency.

Community • Peanuts are the cornerstone crop of multigenerational farmers in the rural South, supporting land stewardship and the economy.

• The U.S. peanut crop has annual value of more than $1 billion.

• Currently, leaders in the peanut industry are involved in projects with local farmers in many countries, including Haiti and Ghana, to help advance their planting and harvesting techniques, increase crop yields and decrease spoilage and contamination.

Checkoff Report Investments Made by Growers for the Future of the Peanut Industry.

FPPA announces scholarship money available The Florida Peanut Producers Association announces the opening of their 2018 Scholarship Award Program. Two $1,200 scholarships will be awarded to deserving high school seniors and/or college students. The applicant or someone in the applicant’s family must be an actively producing peanut grower in Florida. It is the intent of the Scholarship Award Committee, however, that the award recipients attend a Florida junior college or four-year university.

“The Florida Peanut Producers Association is committed to helping further the education of young people in Florida and the scholarship program is evidence of our commitment,” says Ken Barton, FPPA executive director.

For an application contact the FPPA office at 850-526-2590 or visit the FPPA website at www.flpeanuts.com. The scholarship applications must be postmarked no later than July 1, 2018.

Georgia peanuts promoted at Nascar race in Atlanta The Georgia Peanut Commission promoted peanuts during the 2018 Folds of Honor Quik Trip 500 Nascar race at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, Feb. 23-25.

GPC exhibited in the Fan Zone during race weekend and provided peanuts and koozies to race attendees. Also, GPC is promoting peanuts all year at other events on a billboard at the race track and a digital billboard at the race track entrance.

Georgia Peanut Commission host a variety of peanut promotions for National Peanut Month The Georgia Peanut Commission (GPC) promoted peanuts throughout the month of March through a variety of promotions.

GPC sponsored a special series, Proud to be a Georgia Farmer, with WTOC-TV in Savannah. The program highlighted four farmers in the viewing area every Thursday during the evening news in March. A special 30-min. show about the Georgia peanut industry aired on Saturday, March 24, covering peanut production, export marketing, research and promotions.

Cups Cheesecake and a PB&J Smoothie using the new Milked PeanutsTM. The media tour included television stations in Albany, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Macon and Savannah and created more than 401,000 impressions.

Governor Nathan Deal presents the Georgia Peanut Commission with a proclamation for National Peanut Month in March.

The annual Georgia PB&J Day was held March 12, 2018, at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta. Exhibitors from the peanut industry served PB&Js, grilled PB&Js, country-fried peanuts, peanut candy and more. During the special program, Sen. John Wilkinson and Rep. Tom McCall presented resolutions highlighting the importance of peanuts to Georgia’s economy. Also, GPC and Peanut Proud donated 10,040 jars of peanut butter to the Atlanta Community Food Bank to celebrate National Peanut Month during the annual PB&J Day.

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The Augusta Visitor Information Center distributes Georgia peanuts and information during March National Peanut Month.

Parker Wallace, creator of Parker’s Plate, showcases new peanut recipes on set at WTOC-Savannah with host Tim Guidera.

GPC teamed up with Parker Wallace, an Atlanta based food enthusiast and chef, for a March - National Peanut Month media campaign in Georgia. Wallace is creator of Parker’s Plate and she demonstrated a variety of peanut inspired recipes featuring Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce, Peanut Butter

Southeastern Peanut Farmer April 2018

GPC provided peanuts and recipes to the state’s 11 welcome centers for tourists and provided television media news teams throughout Georgia with a gift basket of Georgia peanut products. GPC also exhibited at the Georgia Nutrition and Dietetics Meeting and Peanut Proud Festival. Throughout the month, GPC promoted peanuts online through digital advertising with Pandora Radio, Salem Media, Lean Media and held contests on the GPC’s social media pages.

Reports from the: Alabama Peanut Producers Association Florida Peanut Producers Association Georgia Peanut Commission Mississippi Peanut Growers Association

Alabama peanuts promoted at Food Service and Nutrition Expo The Alabama Peanut Producers Association provided the latest on peanut allergies and nutrition during exhibit hours at the Alabama Food Service and Nutrition Expo in Birmingham, Alabama, on March 16, 2018.

“We made contact with nearly 400 professionals from the Alabama Association of Nutrition & Foodservice Professionals, Alabama Dietetic Association, and Alabama School Nutrition Association in attendance,” says Kaye Lynn Hataway, project coordinator for Alabama Peanut Producers Association. “We shared new research on peanut allergies and the nutrition value of peanuts.

In addition, visitors to our booth received Alabama roasted peanuts and peanut butter spreaders.”

Mississippi Diabetes Foundation Super Conference The Mississippi Peanut Growers Association (MPGA) promoted peanuts recently at the Mississippi Diabetes Foundation Super Conference, March 3, 2018, in Jackson, Mississippi. This conference is held annually for those with diabetes to hear highly recognized specialists in the field of diabetic education, plus provide opportunity for the attendees to visit industry booths.

Since MGPA has been an active sponsor of the diabetes walks for the past six years, MPGA was invited to have an educational booth and provide the Peanuts and Diabetes recipe brochure to participants. More than 300 individuals attended the conference.

Many attendees visited the MPGA booth and asked questions ranging from how peanuts grow to why they were the diabetic’s best friend. Since the first walk in 2010 until now, MPGA has made some contact with about 20,000 participants in this program, hopefully getting them to see the value of peanut products in their life.

Mississippi peanuts promoted during National Peanut Month During March National Peanut Month, Mississippi Peanut Growers Association prepared peanut goody baskets for television stations throughout the state. This led to live interviews at four television stations by Malcolm Broome, MPGA executive director. The baskets were used as talking points since they contained all kinds of peanuts, peanut products and peanut facts. During the interviews, Broome offered samples of the new Elmhurst Milked PeanutsTM to the show host. Broome also discussed new information for parents on the introduction of peanut protein to infants at an early age. Two of the stations taped additional interview footage to be shown through the month of March. The value of these live interviews outweighs any advertising that MPGA could purchase on these television stations.

Mississippi peanuts promoted at school board association The Mississippi Peanut Growers Association exhibited at the Mississippi School Board Association Winter Conference, Feb. 19-21, 2018, in Jackson, Mississippi. The MSBA Annual Conference brings together approximately 450 school board members and education leaders from across the state to share information that shapes the future of students.

This was the first time MPGA exhibited at this conference. MPGA provided sample of peanuts as well as nutritional information or peanuts and products for their use in the school system.

Many of the school board members coming by the exhibit asked questions ranging from what the peanut growers’ association was doing at the conference to why should peanut butter be used in their children’s lunches. Malcolm Broome, MPGA executive director was able to provide a positive answer to these questions along with making sure the school board members had literature in their registration bags to support the use of peanuts.

MPGA distributed literature from the Peanut Institute, National Peanut Board, and Southern Peanut Growers.

Broome also handed out peanut butter spreaders to attendees which were a great conversation starter since most members were puzzled as to what the item was. As a result of this first conference, MPGA hopes it will open the door for more interaction between MPGA and schools in order to prevent future peanut bans from school systems in Mississippi.

April 2018 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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2018

DISEASE & INSECT GUIDEBOOK Early season disease control pays off tandard practices for peanut disease control include fungicides applied to the seed, leaf spot fungicides applied starting approximately 30 days after planting and fungicides applied for white mold approximately 60 days after planting.

This may be the year to tweak that standard schedule, according to Bob Kemerait, University of Georgia Extension plant pathologist.

He’s especially excited about research conducted by Tim Brenneman, University of Georgia plant pathologist, and the potential for in-furrow and early season fungicide applications, though he points out that some of these treatments can be expensive.

In-furrow and early season applications can help to control nematodes in addition to an array of peanut diseases, according to Kemerait.

For instance, Velum® Total is effective for root knot nematode control.

Depending on the crop, Velum Total rates of 14-to-18 fluid ounces per acre will help control nematodes, according to Kemerait.

In peanut, standard controls for Aspergillus crown rot have been Dynasty PD® seed treatment plus Abound® applied in-furrow.

“An additional benefit of using in-furrow Velum Total for nematodes is that it also helps to control Aspergillus crown rot,” Kemerait says. “In-furrow Proline® also helps with Aspergillus crown rot control.”

Proline is a fungicide that growers may want to consider applying either at planting or early in the growing season at about 21 to 35 days after planting. Earlyseason fungicide applications, for example with Proline, can give growers a

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head start in controlling white mold, also known as southern stem rot. Kemerait says Proline can also help in controlling Cylindrocladium black rot, commonly called CBR. Propulse® is a fungicide mix of Velum (fluopyram) and Proline (prothioconazole) and will help control leaf spot, white mold and nematodes with peggingtime applications.

“Propulse is applied a rate of 13.7 fluid ounces per acre,” Kemerait says. “It should be incorporated with irrigation.”

Propulse can also be applied as a chemigation treatment, according to Kemerait.

Kemerait points to tests showing there is less root galling caused by nematodes in single rows than in twin rows when Velum Total is applied early in the growing season. This is because the amount of Velum Total applied in each twin row is half of what is applied in a single row. In both single and twin rows, the least amount of root galling and subsequent pod galling occurred in plots

Southeastern Peanut Farmer April 2018

where Velum Total was applied in-furrow at planting followed by Propulse at pegging time.

Kemerait concluded that Propulse, applied correctly and on time, clearly lowered pod galling more than root galling. He noted that Velum Total gave consistent reductions in root galling. He also saw some response to Velum Total rates with less root galling at higher rates.

Overall, he noted that Velum Total performed better in single rows than in twin rows, but was an effective treatment in both situations, provided that populations of root-knot nematodes were not too severe.

A test conducted by Brenneman in 2010 showed that a banded, early emergence application of Proline resulted in good white mold control and a 70 percent yield increase, according to Kemerait. The broadcast-rate of Proline was applied to the peanuts in a narrow band 21 days after planting. continued on page 11

Disease & Insect Guidebook

Aspergillus Crown Rot getting worse sing good seed treatments and planting high quality seed are two of the most effective tools growers can use against Aspergillus crown rot.

Aspergillus crown rot is a growing problem in peanut production, according to University of Georgia plant pathologist Tim Brenneman. He says Aspergillus crown rot is a seed-borne disease.

However, the pathogen is also ubiquitous in our soils.

“It shows up 25 to 40 days after planting,” says Brenneman. “The peanuts germinate and come up and 30 days later the plants die,” he adds. “The disease starts at the plant’s crown, and it seems the plants die overnight.”

Brenneman says Aspergillus crown rot is primarily a disease of seedling peanuts, but it can also kill peanuts late in the growing season.

Georgia Extension plant pathologist Bob Kemerait says the disease has been most severe in fields planted to farmersaved seed. “Growers can reduce the risk of this disease by planting only high quality seed and using seed treated with an effective fungicide,” Kemerait says.

“Use of in-furrow fungicides can help as well.”

Warmer than normal conditions early in the growing season increase the risk of Aspergillus crown rot, according to Kemerait. He also notes that the risk of Aspergillus crown rot can be reduced by using effective management of lesser corn

stalk borers along with irrigation to cool hot soils.

Over the past several years, Aspergillus crown rot has emerged as the most common peanut seedling disease, according to Kemerait. Typical symptoms include an abundance of black sooty spores on the crown of the plant located just below the soil surface.

The disease is most common in very hot and dry soils. In such soils, the tender taproot and shoot can be scorched by the surrounding soil. This creates an injury that is exploited by the Aspergillus fungus. The disease is also found where lesser cornstalk borers are a problem.

Under most conditions, fungicide seed treatments will effectively manage Aspergillus crown rot, however the disease University of Georgia plant pathologist Tim Brenneman holds can get out of control in the up a young peanut plant killed by Aspergillus crown rot. heated soils. While Kemerait says in-furrow fungicide Argentina to see if it can be effective in applications will reduce crown rot controlling Aspergillus crown rot. outbreaks, he notes that foliar fungicide The Aspergillus niger fungus that applications have not been very effective. causes crown rot is different from the In Brenneman’s tests, in-furrow Aspergillus flavus fungus that causes treatments with Abound® fungicide have aflatoxin in peanuts. Aspergillus niger is been almost as effective as seed present in most peanut soils and is a treatments in managing Aspergillus crown common contaminant of peanut seed. t rot. Brenneman is also testing a new polymer-based seed treatment used in

BY JOHN LEIDNER

Early season disease control pays off continued from page 10

to reduce white mold is Provost® program following Proline applied either in-furrow or post-emergence. However, Kemerait points to a 2011 test where the Proline early emergence followed by the Provost 4-block program provided better control than the Proline and Provost program when the Proline was applied in-furrow at planting.

Kemerait concludes that early season sprays can have a profound effect on white mold epidemics, and these spray applications can help provide for season-long benefits. He notes that banded applications as late as 30 to 40 days after planting may be even better than applications at 21 days after planting.

He says growers have several options

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Though few farmers use banded fungicide applications because it can be difficult in practice, Kemerait says that Proline applied in a band is beneficial in helping to control white mold. Tests included Proline sprays in bands that were three to four inches wide over single rows. These bands essentially covered the young peanut plants, and concentrated the fungicide where both the young plants and the fungus that causes white mold were growing.

White mold management can begin with an in-furrow fungicide application or with an early-season banded application.

An example of a combination that helps

for early-season disease and nematode management programs and that growers should be willing to re-evaluate their conventional white mold management in the first 60 days of the growing season.

While growers have been slow to adopt banded applications, these can be especially helpful because the fungicide is concentrated on the young plants.

Kemerait also says there are many benefits from in-furrow fungicide applications.

These early applications of Proline and Velum Total are examples of some of the new options for better disease and nematode management in peanuts, according to Kemerait. t

BY JOHN LEIDNER

April 2018 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Disease & Insect Guidebook

Why leaf spot control fails lan Henn, Extension plant pathologist at Mississippi State University, has listed several reasons for poor leaf spot control.

The first one on his list includes delays in getting started with a spray program. Also, delays between later applications can also result in a leaf spot control failure. Henn notes that such delays are especially a problem when weather conditions keep sprayers out of fields.

In other cases, wet weather itself can be a cause of poor control. “The weather may be so conducive to leaf spot disease that it overwhelms everything else,” Henn adds.

Planting a variety that is very susceptible to leaf spot is another possible cause of control failure. Henn says the TUFRunnerTM ‘511’, Georgia-13M, and Georgia-09B varieties are among the most susceptible runner varieties to attack by leaf spot fungi.

Improper sprayer calibration can also cause a control failure. This can result in not enough fungicide being applied to control the disease.

The new leaf spot fungicide Miravis® continues to perform well in University of Georgia tests by plant pathologist Albert Culbreath. Miravis is being developed

by Syngenta for use in peanuts, and might become available to farmers to use in 2018, according to Culbreath. Though it is not yet labeled, Miravis has been the most effective leaf spot fungicide ever evaluated in Culbreath’s research program.

“It does not provide white mold control, but if labeled, could be an excellent addition to leaf spot control programs,” Culbreath adds.

Adepidyn is the common name for the active ingredient in the product that will eventually be marketed as Miravis. Adepidyn is a member of the carboxamide family of fungicides.

Culbreath says Miravis has performed well on a leaf spot-susceptible varieties such as Georgia-13M. Miravis was included as part of a four-spray program and it looked good on 13M, according to Culbreath. He obtained his best results in leaf spot control when he mixed Miravis with Elatus® for two sprays and then used either Bravo® or a mix of Bravo and Alto® for two sprays.

He adds that it is possible that Miravis may be mixed with the Elatus fungicide when it eventually becomes labeled for use in peanuts.

As of press time, it was not clear if Miravis would become available for use on peanuts during the 2018 growing season. t

prothioconazole are both triazole fungicides and are members of the same fungicide group.

In his tests, Henn has been looking at a broad group of fungicides or combinations of fungicides that control leaf spot. These fungicides included Fontelis®, Headline®, Alto®, Topsin® and combinations of these fungicides. These were also compared to Priaxor® and Bravo WeatherStik® as stand-alone treatments. Albert Culbreath in Georgia has been doing the same tests.

Henn likes the idea of mixing Bravo with other fungicides for leaf spot control.

He also has obtained good returns from mixing Alto with Topsin. He says the Alto-Topsin treatment would be good for one application, especially if leaf spot disease pressure is low. He adds, however, that a mix of Alto and Topsin should be used judiciously, and such a mix is not for use throughout the growing season. This mix did not work well full-season in Georgia where the late leaf spot is prevalent.

“You do not get a lot of extra yield by adding another fungicide to Headline,” Henn says. Likewise, he notes, “There’s not a lot of extra yield by adding another fungicide to Fontelis.” One of the best combinations in both Mississippi and Georgia was a mix of Fontelis, Headline and Topsin.

He says Priaxor is a good control for leaf spot, but he would add another fungicide to Priaxor such as Eminent® (tetraconazole).

His tests also showed that the best fungicides for controlling early leaf spot were not necessarily the best for controlling late leaf spot.

Crop rotation is one key to keeping leaf spot under control, according to Henn. He notes that leaf spot can be difficult to manage, even when rotating land to other crops, when volunteer peanuts emerge as weeds and are not controlled during the years when other crops are grown.

“Once leaf spot gets out of control, you can get to the point where you can’t catch up,” he says. t

BY JOHN LEIDNER

BY JOHN LEIDNER

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Also, rainfall immediately after fungicide application can wash the fungicide away before it has a chance to penetrate the plant or adhere to the surface of the peanut plant.

Henn also notes that over-use of a single Fungicide Resistance Action Committee (FRAC) class of fungicide can lead to control failure. Members of the same FRAC class interfere with fungi in the same way, which becomes less effective with over use. For instance, azoxystrobin or pyraclostrobin are both strobilurin fungicides and are members of the same FRAC class or group of fungicides. Likewise, tebuconazole and

New leaf spot fungicide

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Southeastern Peanut Farmer April 2018

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Disease & Insect Guidebook

A Scary Big Mystery

Peanut Collapse Disorder o one knows the cause of a devastating condition in Florida peanuts that showed up last year with devastating losses just before the plants reached maturity. With the cause unknown, the condition for now is being called by some the “peanut collapse disorder.”

Some 25,000 acres of Florida peanuts were affected this past year. The 2017 growing season was a banner year for peanut production everywhere in the U.S. except for Florida. While record high yields were recorded for many states, Florida’s average yields declined by 9 percent compared to the previous year.

Most of this yield decline was attributed to the collapse disorder, and most of this damage was in peninsular Florida. Peanuts in the Florida Panhandle escaped most of the damage.

Some of the affected peanuts were grown in Hamilton County, Florida, where Keith Wynn is the Extension agent, and in Suwannee County, where De Broughton works as Extension agent.

Broughton says the peanut plants responded as if they had white mold, by completely shutting down. But, unlike white mold or leaf spot, this process took place very quickly, over the course of just a few days. “In no time at all, the leaves went from green to yellow to brown,” Broughton says.

Wynn says earlier planted peanuts did not seem to be affected as much by collapse. He saw the collapse in a field with a variety trial that normally produced yields of 4,000 to 5,000 pounds per acre.

“All varieties in this trial were affected, and the overall yield of the field was down by about 1,500 pounds per acre,” Wynn says. “Those peanuts just never matured.”

The condition may or may not be related to variety selection. Broughton says growers who have faced the collapse want to try different varieties to see if that might help them avoid the problem.

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Florida Extension agents Keith Wynn of Hamilton County and De Broughton of Suwannee County are among those trying to find answers for farmers facing losses from a mysterious new peanut problem in Florida.

“Some growers thought it was a new disease, but that was never confirmed,” said University of Georgia Extension plant pathologist Bob Kemerait.

“Sometimes there are problems we just can’t explain.”

Kemerait said Georgia did not have the catastrophic effects seen in Florida, but he says good growers had 2017 yields that were off significantly. He pointed to peanuts grown in Tift County, Georgia, where some harvested yields were off by an estimated 1,500 pounds per acre. He looked but couldn’t find any disease that could have been the cause.

Other possible causes of losses in Georgia may be lesion nematodes and an associated black fungus, but neither have been confirmed as a direct cause, according to Kemerait.

Zane Grabau, University of Florida Extension nematologist, said the collapse in Florida resulted in stand failure across entire fields. “That is not typical of what is normally seen with nematode damage,” Grabau says.

Grabau notes that 2017 was a bad year for nematode damage in Florida peanuts, in part due to previous mild

Southeastern Peanut Farmer April 2018

winters. Studies at the end of the season showed there were more damaging nematodes in fields where the collapse disorder occurred than in fields where there was no peanut collapse.

“We found lesion, ring and root knot nematodes in most of the samples, from fields where there was collapse and from fields where there was no collapse,” Grabau says. “Based on these studies and on symptoms seen across entire fields, that suggested to us that the collapse was not exclusively a nematode problem.”

Andrew Drew, Extension agent in Levy County, Florida, was among the first to notice the collapse. He first saw it on a small scale during the 2016 growing season.

“It starts three to four weeks before optimum maturity when you want to dig your peanuts,” Drew says. “The symptoms included plants that became chlorotic.” Chlorotic plants turn yellow due to a lack of chlorophyll in the leaves.

“After the chlorosis, the plants became necrotic,” Drew adds. This means the leaves turned black and fell off the plants.

Plant cells died and even entire peanut plants died.

peanuts. “The weather got warm and the volunteer peanuts just took off,” Townsend says.

Based on testing so far, known diseases and nematodes were ruled out as causes, according to Drew. He said uncontrolled leaf spot, nematode damage, fertility problems and spotted wilt virus may have been present in the affected fields, but he doubts that they were the primary reasons for the decline. Herbicide damage was also eliminated as a possible cause.

Planting date has been linked to the collapse. “It minimally affected earlier planted peanuts,” Drew explains. Damage from the peanut collapse disorder in a Suwannee County Florida peanut field in 2017.

For growers concerned about collapse in 2018, Weather may also play a part.

Drew suggests using early planting. In “During 2017, we saw unprecedented Levy County where Drew works, he high nighttime temperatures in the suggests growers may be able to escape Southeast,” Drew says. “It is also damage by planting during April 1-15. significant that USDA is looking into this “Planting early will help you avoid leaf as it relates to low corn yields in the spot and nematode damage,” he adds.

Southeast.”

“Also, get back to using a good rotation.”

Extensive cloud cover meant that He said that soil and foliar nutrient solar radiation or sunlight intensity, as tests were inconclusive, though a shortage measured by watts per square meter, was of potassium has been suggested as a noticeably weak during the second half of possible cause. He noted that potassium the growing season. The 2017 growing deficiency symptoms were seen early in season also had four leaching rain events, the growing season and that rainfall could according to Drew. “If we lost potassium, have leached potassium from the state’s and it was short in the plant, that could sandy soils. For 2018, Drew suggests that have been critical,” he adds. split applications of potassium may be “Most everyone agrees that helpful. “Also, make sure calcium is environmental conditions contributed to where it needs to be to avoid pod rot,” he the collapse,” Drew says. He also adds. wonders if climate change may be Drew wondered if the widely planted involved. He said mysterious peanut Georgia-06G variety might be “playing losses in Texas during 1966 and 1967 out” and losing its yield advantage. Plant were later attributed to ozone and sulfur breeders told him it is highly unlikely that dioxide. a variety would play out as long as the “The size and the scope of this scares genetic purity of the seed is maintained. me,” Drew says. “It’s scary because the “We saw the decline symptoms in peanut yield losses were of biblical hundreds of peanut lines, and we know proportions, and on a scale that you this decline is associated with some of would see with a widespread severe these lines,” Drew says. “So there is a drought.” t genetic component. We hope to find out

BY JOHN LEIDNER more about this with additional testing.”

April 2018 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Photo credit: De Broughton, University of Florida Extension, Suwannee County.

Disease & Insect Guidebook Over the past year, Drew spent much of his time searching for answers to the collapse disorder. One scientist at Texas A&M told Drew the condition was “premature senescence.” This basically means that plants age and die before their time.

During 2016, Drew said the symptoms coincided with Hermine, the first hurricane to make landfall in Florida since 2005. During 2017, the same symptoms started showing up in early August. Levy County peanut farmers start digging peanuts during the second week of August.

Some farmers thought the tropical storms caused the collapse with salt water that rained down on their peanuts. Drew says this was not the case because the symptoms showed up well before Hurricane Irma made landfall on Sept. 10.

Peanut farms suffered tremendous losses from the collapse, according to Drew. In many affected fields, harvested yields declined to about 1,000 pounds per acre. “The affected fields were irrigated and dryland, rotated and non-rotated,” Drew says. He noted that yields were reduced by more than 40 percent from the five-year average yields on many affected farms.

“We did every test we could think of—pathology studies for foliar or soil diseases, nematode studies and nutrient analysis of the plants and the soil, and found no correlation with any of these as a direct cause of the collapse,” Drew says.

The decline, collapse, or whatever it’s called, affected grower Ryan Moore’s peanuts in Suwannee County, Florida. His overall yields were off some in 2017, but one of his fields was especially hurt by the collapse. “It seemed to be worse on my late peanuts,” he says. He also notes that the collapse seemed worse in parts of Florida south of where he grows peanuts.

Clif Townsend grows peanuts in Madison and Suwannee counties of Florida. His peanuts in Madison County escaped damage from the collapse, but his yields in Suwannee County suffered. He noted that nematodes added to the losses in one of his fields.

“The main problem we noticed was that the peanut stems were weak,” Townsend says. “When we started digging, the peanuts were pulled from the vines and stayed in the soil.” Then, during late February of this year he started seeing thick stands of emerging volunteer

Disease & Insect Guidebook

Chlorothalonil shortage expected he widely used peanut leaf spot protectant fungicide chlorothalonil was in short supply during the 2014 growing season, and it appears farmers will again face a shortage during 2018.

Chlorothalonil has been a mainstay crop protectant for many years in peanuts as well as in vegetable crops. In peanuts, the fungicide has been used to limit damage from early and late leaf spot as well as from rust diseases.

“Chlorothalonil will be an issue this year,” says Nicholas Dufault, University of Florida plant pathologist. “We’re told that the likely shortage is due to production problems at overseas manufacturing plants. Growers should talk with their distributors on current availability of this product.”

As supplies of chlorothalonil tighten, the costs for chlorothalonil products will increase, according to Dufault. He also notes that prices for tebuconazole fungicide products will also likely increase in 2018.

“With a short supply this year, growers may need to consider ways to stretch chlorothalonil use with alternative products that offer disease control at a reasonable price,” Dufault says.

By tank mixing chlorothalonil with other products, the chlorothalonil rate can be reduced from 1.5 pints or 1.4 pounds per acre to as low as 1 pint or 0.9 pounds per acre. Some of the mixing products include Fungicide Resistance Action Committee (FRAC) group 3 fungicides tebuconazole, Alto® (cyproconazole), Topguard® (flutriafol), and Eminent® (tetraconazole).

FRAC Group 11 fungicides that can be tank mixed with chlorothalonil include azoxystrobin, Headline® (pyraclostrobin) and Evito® (fluoxastrobin).

Dufault also notes that premix compounds such as Custodia®, Absolute® and Elatus® can also be mixed with chlorothalonil.

“These are just a few examples of fungicides that can be mixed with chlorothalonil,” Dufault says.

“Watch for tebuconazole as a component of these premixed compounds,” Dufault says. He cautions about tebuconazole because it can be

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weak in controlling late leaf spot. Also, overuse of tebuconazole could result in the development of resistance on the part of the fungi, or a loss of efficacy.

“Besides mixing with other products, it is also possible to use a reduced rate of chlorothalonil on its own,” Dufault says.

“This should only be considered early in the season when disease pressure is low or absent, and/or in areas that have had minimal rainfall.”

He also lists some other fungicides that can be substituted for chlorothalonil.

These alternatives include Elast® (dodine), mancozeb and Topsin®-M (thiophanatemethyl).

“Both dodine and mancozeb are protectant products similar to chlorothalonil,” Dufault says. “These are generally recommended as mixing partners with products such as tebuconazole and Topsin-M.” Dufault points to Alabama tests from 2017 that showed either dodine or mancozeb applied alone were effective in reducing late leaf spot defoliation. Either applied alone also resulted in higher yields than untreated controls. Even so, yield savings tended to be greater when these products were mixed with other fungicides.

When using Topsin-M or thiophanate-methyl, resistance is a concern.

“So use no more than two applications of this fungicide,” Dufault says, “and consecutive applications need to be avoided. If you use Topsin-M, you can apply it in the first and third fungicide applications or the second and fourth applications.”

If your goal is to eliminate one or two chlorothalonil sprays, then Dufault recommends paying close attention to the variety’s resistance traits. For instance, the Florida-07, Georgia-07W, Tifguard, TifNV-HiOL, Georgia-14N and Georgia12Y varieties all have better leaf spot resistance than the widely planted Georgia-06G runner variety.

And if sprays are eliminated, this should be done early in the growing season and when disease pressure is not severe, according to Dufault.

“Chlorothalonil has long been the basis for our leaf spot control sprays,” he explains. “If your field is at high risk for leaf spot, then diversify the fungicides you use to get good disease control.” This could mean going from using a fungicide or group of fungicides with one mode of action to using fungicides representing three modes of action. He says using four modes of action could be important for controlling additional diseases such as white mold. t

BY JOHN LEIDNER

Options for Loss of Tilt, Shortage of Chlorothalonil n MAZINGA (2 pt/A): Chlorothalonil, Tetraconazole n 1 pt/A Chlorothalonil + 2.5 fl oz/A Domark (Domark can be applied to rates as high as 6.9 fl oz/A) n 1 pt/A Chlorothalonil + 5-10 fl oz/A Topsin M n 1 pt/A Chlorothalonil + 5.5 fl oz/A Alto n 1 pt/A Chlorothalonil + 10 fl oz/A Eminent VP n 1 pt/A Chlorothalonil + 7-14 fl oz/A Topguard n 2 lb/A Koverall (mancozeb) + 14 fl oz/A Topguard n 1.5 pt/A ELAST 400F (dodine) n 3.5 fl oz/A Absolute n 6.0 fl oz/A PRIAXOR (at 45 days, replaces two applications of chlorothalonil at 30 and 45 days) Source: University of Georgia Extension

Southeastern Peanut Farmer April 2018

Disease & Insect Guidebook

Scouting tips for peanut insects niversity of Georgia research and Extension entomologist Mark Abney has developed several tips that growers and their consultants can use in scouting peanuts for insect pests.

Here is a list of seven of the top insect pests found in peanuts from the Southeast, along with Abney’s advice on how to find them.

U

Thrips Look for adult and immature thrips during the first three to four weeks after plants emerge. Immature thrips are usually found in folded terminal leaflets. Thrips occur in most peanut fields, but early planting, conventional tillage, single row pattern, and no at-plant insecticide increase the risk of injury.

Lesser cornstalk borer Look for wilted stems and silk tubes. Remove plants and check taproots, pods and stems for feeding injury and larvae. The presence of moths is a sign of possible lesser cornstalk borer infestation.

Threecornered Alfalfa Hopper Adults can be seen flying when disturbed.

They are also easily collected in sweep nets.

Nymphs are responsible for much of the injury to peanuts, but they are difficult to see. Beat sheet sampling or careful examination of vines will be required to find nymphs. Decisions to treat three cornered alfalfa hoppers should consider the relative abundance of adults, nymphs and stem injury, along with the risk of flaring secondary pests.

Southern Corn Rootworm The larvae of southern corn rootworm live below the ground. Dig adjacent to peanut rows or remove plants to examine pods for damage and check the soil for larvae.

Potato Leafhopper Adults can be seen flying when disturbed.

Nymphs are similar in appearance to adults but cannot fly. Look for hopper burn that shows up as a V-shaped yellowing of leaflet tips. This hopper burn can often be seen near the edges of fields.

Hopper burn will persist long after the insects have left the field, so it is important to determine if the infestations are active before making a treatment decision.

Velvetbean Caterpillar Scouting for caterpillars is best accomplished by vigorously shaking the vines to dislodge the insects onto the ground or onto a beat sheet. Sampling three feet of row at ten locations is sufficient for a typical 40- to 80-acre field. All caterpillars should be identified and counted, and their size should be noted.

Two Spotted Spider Mite Check the edges of fields. Small patches of yellowing peanuts are an early indication of infestations. At low densities, spider mites are difficult to see and are usually found on the lower surface of the leaves. Early detection is important. t

Scouting Calendar April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

Planting Weeds Thrips Leaf spot Soil diseases( white mold) Leafhopper Lesser cornstalk borer Rootworm Spidermites Fall armyworm Corn earworm Weed/disease mapping Nematode samples Cutworms Velvetbean caterpillar Source: Alabama Cooperative Extension System ANR-598 publication, Peanut Pest Management Scout Manual.

April 2018 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Disease & Insect Guidebook

Thrips

UNPREDICTABLE

INSECTS Require Regular Scouting he 2017 growing season was notable for its overall good yields and light insect pressure, but that’s no indication of whether or not insects will be a problem during the 2018 peanut season, according to University of Georgia Extension entomologist Mark Abney.

“The relationship between insects and yield is complicated,” Abney says. “We’re still working to come up with a threshold for some of our major peanut pests.”

Often, peanut damage from insects is indirect. Sometimes, insect damage doesn’t hurt the yields at all but instead damages the grades.

Even when insect feeding does not hurt yield or grade it can contribute to aflatoxin contamination, especially during hot and dry weather.

Insect pressure is often dependent on timing and the environment. During hot and dry weather, certain pests predominate, while others are more active in wet conditions.

Abney points out that the peanut plant can compensate for leaf and stem loss from some insects. He said that occurred during the 2017 season when caterpillars came in during June and started eating the plants, then rains came and the peanut plants were able to outgrow the early damage and produce some great yields.

“Overall, insects are sporadic pests of peanuts,” Abney says. For example, he recalls conducting 20 field tests aimed at controlling lesser cornstalk borers. Given the sporadic nature of this particular pest,

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he was only able to obtain reliable yield and control data from four of the 20 trials.

“We just can’t predict the insects we’ll be facing for the 2018 season,” Abney says.

“We can advise farmers to scout their fields for insects,” Abney says, “and we encourage farmers to use the information they receive from their scouts. For instance, growers should only apply insecticides when needed, and then they should select which insecticide to use based on cost, effectiveness against the pest(s) present in the field, and risk to beneficial insects.”

For example, consider the redneck peanut worm. This insect probably won’t cause damage amounting to more than $16 per acre, so it just makes sense to avoid using an insecticide targeting this pest if the insecticide costs more than $16 per acre, according to Abney.

Yet Abney doubts that 30 percent of the peanuts grown in Georgia are scouted regularly for insect pests. “Given the costs of agricultural chemicals, it won’t take long for scouting to pay for itself,” says Abney.

Abney says many insecticides are available for controlling aboveground insects. “We have incredible tools, insecticides that kill pests without killing beneficial insects,” Abney says. However, there are few available insecticides that will reliably control underground insect pests.

Here’s a look at some of the other peanut insect pests that Abney is working to control.

Southeastern Peanut Farmer April 2018

Abney has been checking thrips monitoring stations at six locations in Southwest Georgia, and is looking to establish more such stations in East Georgia. He says the likelihood of thrips damage declines greatly after May 10.

He’s is also working with a team from the University of Georgia and North Carolina State University to develop a model that growers can use to predict thrips dispersal and abundance. The model uses weather data and thrips biology to estimate crop risk to thrips infestation.

“Thrips monitoring is a low-cost practice that will help us validate the population prediction model and provide us with a better understanding of economic injury from thrips,” Abney says.

Burrower bugs The burrower bug is a good example of a sporadic peanut pest, according to Abney. It affects a relatively small number of acres, but the economic impact on those acres is huge. The sporadic nature of the burrower bug is one reason that research progresses slowly, according to Abney.

“Maybe we will end up managing burrower bugs by simply avoiding peanut planting on susceptible fields,” Abney says.

The burrower bug is also an example of a pest that may not hurt yields but can severely hurt grades. “You can make 6,000 pounds of peanuts per acre and have 3 percent injury from burrower bugs and you will suffer significant losses due to grade reduction,” Abney says.

As it turned out, the 2017 growing season was one of low pressure from burrower bugs. As a result, there were relatively few Seg 2 insect-damaged peanuts produced in Georgia, according to Abney. In spite of generally low damage incidence, some growers still experienced severe losses due to the pest.

“Our tests show the bottom plow reduces damage from burrower bugs,” Abney reports. He adds that the burrower bug has been more of a problem in peanuts grown with conservation tillage.

Abney has also conducted a series of insecticide trials on burrower bugs for the past three years. To date, the only insecticide that has consistently provided

Disease & Insect Guidebook

Velvetbean caterpillars

Insect pressure is often dependent on timing and the environment so Mark Abney, University of Georgia Extension entomologist, advises farmers to scout their fields for insects and apply insecticides only when needed.

measurable reduction in burrower bug damage is granular chlorpyrifos applied in mid-season. Night time application of some foliar insecticides showed promise, but results have been inconsistent across multiple trials.

Abney works with UGA county Extension agents to monitor burrower bug activity using light traps each summer.

Monitoring burrower bugs with light traps is time consuming and expensive, but the team has evaluated several light trap designs and use patterns in efforts to increase efficiency and reduce cost.

“We’ve found that most burrower bugs fly during a period from 8 p.m. until midnight In fact, an experiment conducted in Tift County in 2017 showed that the majority of bugs are collected between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m.,” Abney says. “We can significantly reduce costs by running the light traps only during times of peak burrower bug activity.”

In addition, one part of a recent USDA grant awarded to Abney and his colleagues is aimed at identifying pheromone(s) or other compounds that are attractive to burrower bugs. The use of a pheromone baited trapping system could significantly increase the scale of monitoring programs while also reducing costs. Progress on pheromone discovery and synthesis is going well, and Abney hopes to begin field testing in 2018.

Potato leafhoppers The potato leafhopper is another peanut insect pest that Abney is targeting.

“This insect causes ‘hopper burn’ on

peanut plants,” Abney says. “The insect feeds on the midribs of the leaves.”

“Growers who see hopper burn in the field are often tempted to spray for the potato leafhoppers,” Abney says. “There is nothing wrong with managing leafhoppers, but if you do, you need to make sure the insects are still in the field.”

Too often, he says, peanut farmers spray their fields for potato leafhoppers after the pest is gone from the field. He also says that hopper burn is not likely to result in significant yield losses in peanuts. “You’ll probably make fine peanuts if you just get water to them, control diseases, and not worry about hopper burn,” he adds.

Threecornered alfalfa hoppers The threecornered alfalfa hopper is one of the peanut pests with no hard-andfast treatment threshold number. Abney has seen fields with many threecornered alfalfa hoppers and the girdled stems they cause, yet those peanuts still made yields of more than 6,000 pounds per acre.

He’s still working to develop a treatment threshold for this pest.

Abney says pyrethroid insecticides will kill threecornered alfalfa hoppers, but these insecticides also open the door for spider mites that attack peanuts. This usually occurs when pyrethroids are sprayed on peanuts growing in hot and dry conditions. “I’ve never seen spider mite problems in well-watered fields with center pivot irrigation,” Abney says.

Foliage feeding caterpillars can attack and defoliate peanuts, and velvetbean caterpillars are a common pest. Abney says that in years with high velvetbean populations, it is common to see lots of velvetbean moths in the field, but it is the caterpillar or worm stage that feeds on the plant.

“It is easy to kill velvetbean caterpillars,” Abney says. “It doesn’t necessarily require a $16 per acre insecticide to kill these worms.” It is important to know if other insect pests are present and whether the field is at risk for infestation by secondary pests like spider mites when considering which insecticide to use for velvetbean caterpillar management.

Soybean loopers Soybean loopers are foliage feeding caterpillars, but they are much more difficult to control than velvetbean caterpillars, according to Abney. “If you have soybean loopers at threshold levels, it will not be cheap to control them,” he says. “Just be sure that you can tell the difference between soybean loopers and velvetbean caterpillars as they are similar in appearance especially when they are small.” Misidentification of these pests can results in significant unnecessary costs. Proper insect identification will require competent field scouting, he notes.

He also adds that caterpillars can feed on peanuts during the initial digging phase of harvesting. “Caterpillars can feed on the pegs and, if that occurs, the pods will be lost,” he says. “Every peg they feed on will result in a pod that won’t go into the combine basket.”

Whiteflies While there was a severe outbreak of silverleaf whiteflies in the Southeast during 2017, these whiteflies did not cause widespread losses in peanuts, according to Abney. He notes that whiteflies often damage cotton and vegetable crops, and they are capable of damaging peanut. Abney notes that whiteflies are often kept under control by beneficial insects. “It happens, but I’ve never personally seen a case where peanuts needed to be treated for whiteflies,” Abney says. t

BY JOHN LEIDNER

April 2018 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Florida Peanut Producers Association hosts 43rd annual membership meeting he Florida Peanut Producers Association recently held their 43rd Annual Membership Meeting, Feb. 22, 2018, at the Jackson County Agricultural Complex, Marianna, Florida. Many farmers from across the state attended and heard presentations on association activities, a farm bill update and a peanut supply and demand update.

Mike Digmon, regional lending manager of Farm Credit of Northwest Florida presented the Young Peanut Farmer of the Year award to Tyler Brown, Jay, Florida.

Brown started farm on his own in 2005, beginning with watermelons but moved to growing peanuts in 2012 on 70 acres and plans to expand in the future.

He also maintains a small commercial herd of cattle. Brown has been working in peanuts all his life. He began working full-time in 2007 with a local peanut and cotton farmer where they farm more than 1,000 acres.

Brown enjoys experiencing the crop progression, from planting a seed in May to the harvest in September. He has always wanted to be a farmer, even though people encouraged him to pursue other options. Growing up surrounded by agriculture in Santa Rosa County has given him a lifelong appreciation for farming.

He is also dedicated to serving his community. Brown currently volunteers with the local FFA Alumni association and serves as captain for the Jay Volunteer Fire Department. In 2014-16, he participated in the Florida Farm Bureau Young Farmer and Rancher Leadership Team and has also participated in the EscaRosa Young Farmer and Rancher Leadership Team and served on the Farm Credit Nominating Committee.

Brown says farming keeps him busy, but giving back to the community is important and has really helped him.

Farming has changed dramatically since he started. Technology, in terms of seed and equipment has become more complicated. He says environmental concerns have greatly increased, and farmers are actively doing more with less.

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Tyler Brown of Jay, Fla., receives the Farm Credit - Florida Peanut Producers Association Young Peanut Farmer Award during FPPA’s annual meeting, Feb. 22, 2018, in Marianna, Fla. Pictured left to right: Brown and Mike Digmon, regional lending manager of Farm Credit of Northwest Florida.

Brown says that tightening up pesticide and fertilization application rates have a positive impact for the environment and for the farmer’s bottom line.

He is impressed by the accuracy of precision agriculture, and how the planting of peanuts has become more fine-tuned, and how swath control on sprayers saves money, time, and overspray. Brown has readily adopted best management practices (BMP) and has signed up through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services BMP program.

He has implemented research-based practices, including nighttime spraying, utilizing recommended varieties, and the Peanut Rx program for disease control.

He scouts his own fields and makes decisions based on what he sees.

“The most important thing you put in your field is your own shadow,” Brown says.

With the ever-changing issues facing agriculture, Brown says taking advantage of every educational opportunity available is crucial. He attends meetings and conferences, reads trade articles, visits with other producers, and goes online to

Southeastern Peanut Farmer April 2018

see the most updated information.

Bob Parker, president and CEO of the National Peanut Board, provided an update on NPB’s activities and introduced a new peanut product, Elmhurst Milked PeanutsTM. While Parker gave some information on the new product, FPPA members served the Milked Peanuts and Milked Peanuts Chocolate to attendees.

During the meeting Joe Tillman, Altha, Florida; Michael Davis, Graceville, Florida; and Larry Ford, Greenwood, Florida, were elected to serve a three-year term on the FPPA Board of Directors.

Ford replaces David DeFelix of Campbellton, Florida, who retired due to term limits. DeFelix was recognized for his dedicated service to the board.

“David has been a faithful and active participant in all FPPA activities and the peanut growers across the state are fortunate to have had David serving on this board,” says Michael Davis, president of FPPA. The FPPA officers elected include Michael Davis, president; Larry Ford, vice president and Andy Robinson, secretary/treasurer. t

BY KEN BARTON

USDA-NRCS in Georgia and Flint River District announce climate resiliency project sign up tate Conservationist Terrance O. Rudolph of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Marty McLendon, chairman of the Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) recently announced that a sign up for the Climate Resiliency in Georgia, Florida and Alabama project is under way.

The deadline for eligible producers in Georgia to apply is April 20, 2018.

This multi-state project covering Alabama, Florida and Georgia is one of 88 projects across the country that was selected for funding through last fiscal year’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). The project area is the Apalachicola, Chattahoochee, Flint and Ochlocknee river basins in each respective state. The 62 Georgia counties include Banks, Calhoun, Carroll, Chattahoochee, Cherokee, Clay, Clayton, Cobb, Colquitt, Coweta, Crawford, Crisp, Dawson, Decatur, Dekalb, Dooly, Dougherty, Douglas, Early, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Grady, Gwinnett, Habersham, Hall, Harris, Heard, Henry,

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Houston, Lamar, Lee, Lumpkin, Macon, Marion, Meriwether, Miller, Mitchell, Monroe, Muscogee, Paulding, Peach, Pike, Quitman, Rabun, Randolph, Schley, Seminole, Spalding, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor, Terrell, Towns, Troup, Turner, Webster, White, Worth, Union and Upson counties.

Producers in these Georgia counties looking to improve on-farm climate change resiliency through water use efficiency, energy efficiency, and soil health on cropland; mitigate wildfire risk, increase carbon sequestration, and enhance wildlife habitat on forestland; enhance soil health, manage nutrients and improve water quality on grazing land as well as animal feeding operations, should visit their local USDA Service Center and submit their Conservation Program Application (NRCS-CPA-1200) before the April 20 deadline. Sign up in Alabama and Florida were announced by their respective NRCS State Conservationists.

“We are proud to once again work with the Flint River SWCD and its partners to help address some of their region’s most important challenges,” Rudolph

says. “Their commitment to these river basins is inspiring and we are glad to be a part of it.”

The Flint River SWCD is based in southwest Georgia, but will lead this multi-state project that begins in the headwaters of northeast Georgia, heading southwestern to the Gulf of Mexico.

“We are very pleased to be partnering with the NRCS and our many partners on another vitally important project to our region,” McLendon says. “It’s through partnerships on the local level all the way up to Washington D.C. that we make some of the longest lasting and positive impacts.”

Created by the 2014 Farm Bill, the RCPP is a partner driven, locally-led approach to conservation. It offers new opportunities for NRCS to harness innovation, welcome new partners to the conservation mission, and demonstrates the value and efficacy of voluntary, private lands conservation.

More information on NRCS conservation programs can be found at http://www.ga.nrcs.usda.gov under the Programs tab. t

U.S. farmers expected to plant less peanuts in 2018 Producers surveyed across the United States intend to plant an estimated 1.5 million acres of peanuts in 2018, down 18 percent from last year, according to the Prospective Plantings report released recently by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

Georgia will still lead the nation in peanut planted acres with an intended 720,000 acres, even with a 14 percent decrease. Arkansas and Oklahoma growers intend to plant the same acreage as 2017. Two states with the largest decrease in planted peanut acreage include Mississippi at a 32 percent reduction and Texas at 31 percent.

The Prospective Plantings report provides the first official, survey based estimates of U.S. farmers’ 2018 planting intentions. NASS’s acreage estimates are based on surveys conducted during the first two weeks of March from a sample of approximately 82,900 farm operators across the United States.

In other crops, farmers intend to plant an estimated 89 million acres of soybeans, down 1 percent from last year; 88 million acres of corn, down 2 percent from last year and 13.5 million acres of cotton, up 7 percent from last year.

The Prospective Plantings and all other NASS reports are available online at www.nass.usda.gov. t

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Southeastern Peanut Farmer April 2018

Area Planted State

2017 2018 (1,000 acres) (1,000 acres)

Percent of Previous Year

Alabama

195.0

160.0

82

Arkansas

30.0

30.0

100

Florida

195.0

150.0

77

Georgia

835.0

720.0

86

44.0

30.0

68

7.6

7.5

99

119.0

105.0

88

21.0

21.0

100

122.0

100.0

82

275.00

190.0

69

27.0

23.0

85

1,870.60

1,536.5

82

Mississippi New Mexico North Carolina Oklahoma South Carolina Texas Virginia United States 1

Intended plantings in 2018 as indicated by reports from farmers.

Georgia Peanut Commission increases funding for research projects in 2018 he Georgia Peanut Commission (GPC) board of directors has approved $581,896 in research project funding for the 2018-19 research budget year. This action was taken during the commission’s March board meeting.

The research projects approved include 34 project proposals submitted from the University of Georgia and USDA Agricultural Research Service.

“As a peanut grower, I’m proud to invest in the Georgia Peanut Commission and in the future of the peanut industry by supporting research that continues to demonstrate a return on our investment.

The peanut industry continues to grow in Georgia and from that growth we are able to increase research funding again for the 2018 year,” says Donald Chase, GPC Research Committee chairman. “We are proud of our partnership with research institutions in the state and are excited

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about the potential benefits of these projects for farmers in the state and the entire peanut industry.”

Georgia’s peanut growers invest $2 per ton annually toward GPC programs which includes research, promotion and education. The research programs primarily focus on peanut breeding, conservation methods, irrigation and water management, as well as, pests, weed and disease management.

Additionally, GPC manages funding for the Southeastern Peanut Research Initiative which includes research funding of $1,238,996 for projects in Alabama, Florida and Georgia. These projects are funded through the National Peanut Board checkoff dollars from farmers.

For additional information and a complete list of the research projects funded by the Georgia Peanut Commission visit www.gapeanuts.com. t

April 2018 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

23

Washington Outlook

by Robert L. Redding Jr.

2018 Farm Bill Update

Omnibus Includes Section 199A Fix

U.S. House agricultural leaders had hoped to move the 2018 Farm Bill during the first quarter of 2018. Unfortunately, mark-up of the legislation has been delayed due to differences over SNAP reform. As of this writing, House Agriculture Committee leaders and staff are discussing options for moving forward.

According the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed in December of 2017 was meant to spur economic growth across the entire American economy, including the agriculture sector, and its positive results can already be felt. However, the unintended consequences of Section 199A, originally designed to preserve benefits for cooperatives and their patrons, disadvantaged the independent operators in the same industry. Many members of the agriculture community began to raise questions about the potential market effects on cooperatives and independent grain-related businesses.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement regarding the fix of Section 199A of the federal tax code found in the omnibus spending bill passed

by Congress and signed into law by President Donald J. Trump.

“Fixing Section 199A was a fundamental issue of fairness. We should not be picking winners and losers through the federal tax code by favoring one side over another. During my travels across the country, I met with countless farmers and members of the agriculture community who were affected by this so-called ‘grain glitch.’ I applaud Congress for hearing their voice,” says Secretary Perdue.

U.S. Congressmen Peterson and Lawson Host Ag Roundtable Georgia, Florida, Alabama Producer Leaders Participate U.S. Rep. Al Lawson, D-Fla., hosted his Farmers Roundtable to address issues affecting the nation’s agricultural industry and rural communities on March 24 in Tallahassee, Florida. U.S. House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin Peterson, D-Minn., was the special guest. Southern Peanut Farmers Federation (SPFF) leaders from Florida, Georgia and Alabama participated in the Roundtable discussion. SPFF leaders emphasized the importance of the peanut Price Loss Coverage program (PLC) to farmers and rural communities and encouraged both Ranking Member Peterson and Congressman Lawson to maintain the current reference price, separate payment limit as well as storage and handling provisions currently in the 2014 Farm Bill.

During the two-hour dialog, held at the Tallahassee Community College Center for Workforce Development, Congressman Lawson discussed federal crop insurance, nutritional programs and trade enforcement laws administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He also sought input from the more than 100 attendees, which included area farmers and agriculture industry representatives.

“The Farmers Roundtable provided me the opportunity to talk one-on-one with the men and women who put food on America’s tables and to receive their feedback on how we can better serve them,” Congressman Lawson says. “The issues we discussed are critical for our nation’s growers and have a strong impact on the agriculture system.”

Ranking member Peterson discussed the reauthorization of the Farm Bill, a comprehensive bill that ensures that our nation’s farmers and ranchers have the tools they need to be productive.

Congressman Scott hosts rural hunger meeting U.S. Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., recently hosted a Rural Hunger Roundtable in Tifton, Georgia. Congressman Scott serves as a Subcommittee Chairman of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee.

Special Guest, for the Roundtable, was U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop, D-Ga., who serves as ranking member of the House Agricultural Appropriations Subcommittee. Darlene Cowart, chair of The Peanut Institute, represented the peanut industry. The roundtable discussion sought to highlight public/private partnerships that food banks and other organizations have established to address hunger, discuss current problems and restrictions and address policy reform.

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Southeastern Peanut Farmer April 2018

China Responds to U.S. Steel and Aluminum Action with Ag Tariff Increases Peanuts Excluded from First Round of Tariff Increases China recently responded to the Administration’s actions on steel and aluminum imports. China stated that they proposed these measures based on the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Safeguard Measures and the Foreign Trade Law of the People’s Republic of China.

According to the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) published a proposal to increase tariffs on a targeted set of U.S. exports.

According to FAS, the proposed tariff increases will impact approximately $2.0 billion in U.S. food and agricultural exports to China. The majority of the products targeted by China are food and agricultural products, accounting for 105 out of the 128 tariff codes; specifically targeted in this announcement are pork and pork products, horticultural products such as fruit (both fresh and dried) and tree nut products, American ginseng, wine, and denatured ethanol.

MOFCOM’s announcement divides the products into two groups. The first group includes 120 products and the proposed additional tariff is 15 percent. The second group includes another 8 products and the proposed additional tariff is 25 percent.

Peanut Leadership Academy hosts session in Washington, D.C. embers of Class X of the Peanut Leadership Academy (PLA) visited Washington, D.C., March 4-8, 2018, for the fourth and final session of the leadership program before graduating this upcoming summer.

During the session, attendees had the opportunity to hear from industry representatives and discuss commodity policy development, the peanut export market and conduct congressional office visits.

The session began with dinner on night one, where PLA members learned about the peanut export market from Patrick Archer with the American Peanut Council. The session continued the following day on Capitol Hill with a visit from U.S. Rep. Rick Allen, R-Ga., where he gave the group an update on activities in Washington and how he is working on behalf of American agriculture. PLA attendees then heard from a commodity panel comprised of Reece Langley with the National Cotton Council; Ryan Weston with the American Sugar Cane League; and Ben Mosely with USA Rice.

These gentlemen gave an update on commodity policy, particularly as it pertains to the 2018 Farm Bill. Additional day one speakers included: Jeff Shipp,

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The Peanut Leadership Academy participants visited Washington, D.C., for the fourth session of the leadership program. During the session, attendees learned more about the export market, commodity policy development, visited congressional offices and toured the U.S. Capitol.

executive vice president of government affairs with the Farm Credit Council; Daniel Hale with U.S. Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., Trevor White with the House Agriculture Committee staff; and Wayne Stoskopf with the Senate Agriculture Committee staff. Class members concluded the day with a Capitol tour.

Peanut Leadership Academy Class X Alabama Nathan Bartl, Lillian Josh McCoy, Midland City Jeremie Redden, Seale Florida Blaire Colvin, Micanopy Ryan Jenkins, Pace Georgia Casey Cox, Camilla Douglas Harrell, Whigham Jan Jones, Climax Jonathan Mann, Surrency Adam McLendon, Leary Jason Sauls, Shellman North Carolina Zach Morris, Colerain

South Carolina Wesley Crider, Bamberg Antron Williams, Rowesville Texas Mason Becker, Brownfield Eddie Bergen, Seminole Michael Newhouse, Clarendon Virginia Paul Rogers, Wakefield Sheller Representatives Kyle Hord, Golden Peanut & Tree Nuts David Rushing, Birdsong Peanuts Marshall Spivey, Premium Peanuts LLC Russ Williams, Damascus Peanut Company

Academy participants concluded the Washington, D.C., visit with a long day of meetings on the Hill. Here, class members were able to visit with their respective state senators and representatives from the peanut-producing areas in the Southeast, Virginia/Carolina region and Texas. Their meetings consisted of discussions related to concerns in their states, as well as expressions of gratitude for their delegation’s service and support.

The Peanut Leadership Academy, coordinated by the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation and sponsored by Syngenta Crop Protection and the American Peanut Shellers Association, provides leadership training for young farmers and sheller representatives throughout the peanut industry. Through the training, participants gain valuable leadership skills to be used in the future and gain insight into many different types of issues the peanut industry faces.

Additional information on the Peanut Leadership Academy is available online at www.southernpeanutfarmers.org. t

BY JESSIE BLAND

April 2018 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

25

Southern Peanut Growers Peanuts and new Elmhust Milked PeanutsTM featured at Savannah Southern Women’s Show Southern Peanut Growers (SPG), Georgia Peanut Commission (GPC), National Peanut Board (NPB) and Elmhurst 1925 worked together to put Savannah’s focus on peanuts at the Southern Women’s Show in Savannah March 23 - 25, 2018.

SPG secured a larger booth space so Elmhurst could roll in their newly refurbished Milked PeanutsTM airstream sampling trailer. The airstream was an eye-catcher drawing people right in to NPB’s sampling team. Savannah seems to be a good market for Milked Peanuts based on the positive sampling responses!

GPC secured television lifestyle personality Parker Wallace to do a television interview with WTOC on Thursday and live cooking demonstrations at the show on Friday and Saturday. Wallace made PB&J Smoothies using Milked Peanuts, Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake and Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce.

The SPG/GPC area of the booth provided peanut samples, diabetes brochures, early introduction information, peanut butter spreaders and lots of recipes.

Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce Ingredients: For Lettuce Wrap

½ cup smooth peanut butter 2 tablespoons Tamari or low sodium soy sauce 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 2 tablespoons brown sugar 3 teaspoons chili garlic sauce Juice of ½ lime 2-3 garlic cloves pressed or grated 2 tablespoons fresh ginger 1 teaspoon fish sauce ½ cup full fat coconut milk 4 tablespoons warm water (plus more if needed for desired consistency)

Thousands of Peanut Butter Lovers reached on National Peanut Butter Lovers Day The Southern Peanut Growers (SPG) did flash giveaways throughout the day on National Peanut Butter Lovers Day reaching thousands of people who commented, shared, liked and loved our posts.

Winners received peanut buttery treats, a t-shirt and the most coveted prize of the day - a full case of peanut butter!

2 heads of boston or butter lettuce 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced 4 green onion, sliced 3 carrots, shredded/grated ½ cucumber, sliced into matchsticks 1 bunch fresh basil 1 bunch fresh mint 1 lb cooked chicken ¼ cup crushed peanuts Sliced lime for garnish

For Peanut Sauce

Gana Ahn and Cathy Johnson with the National Peanut Board provide samples of Elmhurst Milked PeanutTM to attendees during the Southern Women’s Show, March 23-25, 2018, in Savannah, Ga.

Directions: Combine peanut sauce ingredients in small saucepan over low heat until combined. Add more water if you want to thin out the sauce more.

Fill lettuce leaves with chicken, sauce and top with pepper, onion, carrots, cucumber, basil and mint.

Sprinkle crushed peanuts on top and serve immediately.

Marketing arm of

Southern Peanut Growers Upcoming Events • April 5-8 – Southern Women’s Show, Nashville, Tenn.

• April 13-14 – Georgia School Nutrition Association Meeting, Savannah, Georgia • April 21-23 – Women Chefs and Restaurateurs National Conference, Minneapolis, Minn.

• June 14-16 – Georgia Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics, Amelia Island, Fla. • June 23-26 – USA Peanut Congress, Amelia Island, Fla.

Southern Peanut Growers 1025 Sugar Pike Way · Canton, Georgia 30115 (770) 751-6615 · FAX (770) 751-6417 email: lpwagner@comcast.net Visit our website at http://www.peanutbutterlovers.com

20th Annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference July 19-21, 2018 Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort ark your calendars for the 20th Annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference, July 19-21, 2018, at Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort, Miramar Beach, Florida.

This year’s conference offers farmers an opportunity to learn more about legislative issues, peanut promotions and production issues.

The registration fee for growers is $145 which includes all conference events and meals. The registration deadline is June 30. The registration fee increases by $50 on July 1. To register and view the conference schedule visit southernpeanutfarmers.org.

The theme for this year’s conference, “Opportunities in Change,” plans to focus on growth opportunities and changes within the peanut industry. General sessions on Friday plan to provide an update on promotional activities within the peanut industry, opportunities and challenges facing rural areas along with a question and answer session with a panel of researchers. During the luncheon on Friday, Donald J. Leo, dean of the University of Georgia College of Engineering, will be the keynote speaker.

The opening night dinner will feature entertainment from Dennis Watkins, a third generation magician and mentalist. The speaker during the Prayer Breakfast on Friday morning is Thomas Kinchen, president of the Baptist College of Florida. During the Saturday morning breakfast, Farm Press will recognize three farmers with the Peanut Efficiency Awards.

During the Saturday morning session at 9:00 a.m., the keynote address will be brought by U.S. Rep. Neal Dunn, R-Fla., member of the House Committee on Agriculture.

Following Rep. Dunn’s Congressman Neal Dunn presentation, Bob Redding, R-Florida, member of the House Committee on Agriculture representative for the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation in Washington, D.C., will lead a question and answer session with commodity leaders regarding policy and the 2018 Farm Bill.

There are a number of activities for families at the Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort ranging from relaxation to recreation. Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort offers 7.5 miles of sugar white beaches, a spa, golf courses, tennis courts, five-acre Jolee Island Nature Park, 18 swimming pools, putt putt and a variety of activities at The Village of Baytowne Wharf from shopping to an adventure zone.

There is definitely something for everyone at the 20th annual conference and the Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort!

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Tentative Schedule of Events Thursday, July 19 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.

2:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Hospitality & Ice Cream Social Conference Registration

6:30 p.m.

Welcoming Reception

7:00 p.m.

Welcoming Dinner

Friday, July 20 7:00 a.m.

Prayer Breakfast

8:30 a.m.

General Session I

9:00 a.m.

Spouse Program

10:15 a.m.

General Session II

11:30 a.m.

Luncheon

Saturday, July 21 7:00 a.m.

Breakfast - Farm Press Peanut Efficiency Awards

9:00 a.m.

General Session III

Noon

Lunch on your own and afternoon free!

12:30 - 6 p.m.

Golf Tournament

7:00 p.m.

Reception

7:30 p.m.

Dinner and Entertainment

Conference Schedule will be updated online at www.southernpeanutfarmers.org.

Visit the website to register online too!